A common misconception about Spider-Man is the source of his webbing. Contrary to popular belief, those “boxing gloves” on a male spider’s front, called pedipalps, aren’t for web-shooting.
Close-up of a spider's pedipalps
These pedipalps, which can be a substantial 20% of a male spider’s body weight, serve a single, crucial purpose: reproduction. That’s right, the white, sticky substance Spider-Man uses to swing through New York City? Let’s just say it’s not exactly silk.
Spider-Man shooting webs
Spiders have an unusual reproductive process. Male spiders lack a traditional reproductive organ. Instead, they use their pedipalps to transfer sperm to the female. The process involves creating a “sperm web,” depositing sperm onto it, and then loading the sperm into their pedipalps. Think of it like a…unique delivery system.
So, when Spider-Man shoots his “web” at villains, it’s not exactly a pleasant thought. Now, let’s imagine, for the sake of sanity, that he’s actually shooting spider silk.
Diagram of a spider's internal anatomy
Spider silk glands are located near the rear end of the spider. If the radioactive spider bite had actually given Peter Parker silk glands, his web-slinging abilities would originate from a rather…inconvenient location. Perhaps those wrist-mounted web-shooters aren’t such a bad idea after all.
If you’re curious about the mechanics of spider pedipalps, there are videos available online. However, be warned: it’s a bit like watching someone use a turkey baster, only much, much stickier.